Several of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees this week were on the receiving end of bomb threats and a form of criminal harassment called "swatting," his camp said. According to a statement from Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, the bomb and swatting threats were made on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. “Law enforcement and other authorities acted quickly to ensure the safety of those who were targeted,” Leavitt said. “President Trump and the entire Transition team are grateful for their swift action. An FBI official told USA TODAY the agency is aware of the incidents and is actively investigating. "We take all potential threats seriously, and as always, encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement," the official said. Among the nominees saying they were targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stafanik, Trump's pick to be the next ambassador of the United Nations; Matt Gaetz, Trump's initial attorney general selection; former New York congressman Lee Zeldin, who was tapped to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. But what is swatting? Here's what to know. What is swatting? The FBI describes “swatting” as a prank designed to draw an emergency law enforcement response to a hoax victim, often creating a situation where a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team arrives ready for a possible violent encounter. “The individuals who engage in this activity use technology to make it appear that the emergency call is coming from the victim’s phone,” said one FBI public announcement in 2013, titled, “ The Crime of 'Swatting': Fake 9-1-1 Calls Have Real Consequences — FBI . "Sometimes swatting is done for revenge, sometimes as a prank. Either way, it is a serious crime, and one that has potentially dangerous consequences.” The FBI first warned about the phone hacking phenomenon in 2008 and has arrested hundreds of people over the years on federal charges stemming from swatting incidents. It says most are handled by local and state law enforcement agencies, but that the FBI often provides resources and guidance in these investigations. “The FBI looks at these crimes as a public safety issue,” Kevin Kolbye, an assistant special agent in charge of its Dallas Division, said in the 2013 public warning. “It’s only a matter of time before somebody gets seriously injured as a result of one of these incidents.” Swatting incidents increased as 2024 presidential election approached Federal cybersecurity officials warned of a significant increase in swatting incidents in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election and said numerous incidents had targeted election workers and polling places to disrupt the electoral process. In May 2024, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a joint warning about the threat to elections, noting “multiple swatting incidents specifically targeting election workers” in late 2023 and early 2024. The frequency of the attacks increased dramatically in the weeks before the election and on election day, federal officials said in briefings and public postings. “Both foreign and domestic actors use swatting as a method to harass or intimidate individuals and businesses, including U.S. government officials, faith-based institutions, schools, journalists, company executives, and celebrities,” the agencies said in the May 2024 warning, which provided detailed guidance on how election workers and law enforcement agencies could prevent and respond to swatting incidents. “They may also seek to disrupt critical infrastructure operations, induce fear or chaos, divert law enforcement from other crimes or emergencies, or simply gain attention or notoriety,” the joint warning said. Contributing: Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY
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PHOENIX — If the postgame pictures spoke loudly after Arizona State beat Kansas State on the road, the press conference comments were piercing. "College Gameday said, 'Why are we even picking this game?' which is super disrespectful," ASU quarterback Sam Leavitt said. "And then we go out and put on a show." Sam Leavitt's love for winning is deeply rooted in the disrespect he feels the rest of the country has shown both his team and himself. "The QB discussion," he said. "I wasn't rated higher than Avery (Johnson) in high school and he had more offers than me. It was kind of a point to prove that I was a better player." Consider one of the receipts read and another one printed for this week. Sam Leavitt's redemption tour continues against a school that surprisingly didn't offer him a football scholarship out of high school. "Every team that didn't offer me bothered me growing up," he said. A matchup against No. 14 BYU goes deeper than just Sam. The entire Leavitt lineage knows what is on the line. "I don't have any feelings towards wanting BYU to do anything right," Sam's dad, Jared Leavitt, said. "I hope it's a complete disaster for them, that we throttle those guys." The elder Leavitt has a past in Provo, having played linebacker for the Cougars in the early 1990s. He was a part of two teams that were loaded with talent. "We had great teams at BYU. We were really really good," Jared Leavitt said. Jared Leavitt said most of the credit should go to his quarterback. "Let's just be honest. Ty was the magic man. He was doing some pretty incredible things," he said. The quarterback himself is quick to deflect to the defense. "We beat No. 1 Miami," said Ty Detmer, a former BYU quarterback and current ALA Gilbert North head coach. "We had five turnovers on offense. Held them to 21 points. Probably a big reason I was able to win the Heisman Trophy is because the defense played so well in our biggest game that year." Detmer knows a big game when he sees one. RELATED: The biggest game in a decade: ASU football readies up for showdown with No. 14 BYU ALA Gilbert North plays in the second round of the high school football playoffs on Friday. He is then taking his team to the Saturday showdown in Tempe. They were able to score cheap seats in the upper deck of the stadium. From one quarterback to another, Detmer will have his sights on Sam Leavitt. "He's become that guy. As a former quarterback, you can appreciate that and appreciate the way he handles himself during the games," he said. Detmer said the confidence of Sam Leavitt is not in question, and that it's understandable his family has questions about the radio silence during the recruiting process. For his part, Jared Leavitt said he was sure Sam Leavitt would eventually receive an offer from BYU, but another quarterback had committed to the Cougars before his son did. "Kind of a big mistake, don't you think?" Jared Leavitt added. The answer will soon be loud and clear—whether disbelief from BYU is a disadvantage on Saturday against Sam Leavitt and the Sun Devils. "That's natural to have a little chip on your shoulder. Sometimes that's good for you too, to really lock in and make this week important," Detmer said. Sports Watch more of the latest sports videos on the 12News YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe!
MADRID (AP) — Getafe scored twice in three minutes midway through the second half to beat struggling Valladolid 2-0 and record only its second win in La Liga on Friday. The victory ended Getafe’s five-game winless run and lifted it into 15th place in the 20-team standings. Valladolid remained second to last. In the buildup to the match, Getafe sporting director Rubén Reyes described the game as a final but his team was lucky not to go behind as Valladolid created more of the early chances. However, the home side took control in the 69th minute when substitute Álvaro Rodríguez got the opener. Three minutes later, man of the match Allan Nyom made it 2-0. “There’s been a lot of games where we’ve run and fought but lost or drawn,” Nyom, the veteran Cameroon full back, said. “A game that reflects the effort we’ve put in in training is very welcome.” Adding to Valladolid’s woes, coach Paulo Pezzolano was sent off before halftime. The Uruguayan has the league’s worst disciplinary record, with seven yellow cards before Friday’s red. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Alberta working to get money’s worth on Turkish medication deal after 2 yearsMikel Arteta: Amorim's fingerprints already on Man Utd style Ruben Amorim warned “the storm will come” eventually as Manchester United’s head coach tried to temper expectations ahead of the trip to Arsenal. The 39-year-old has been a breath of fresh air since succeeding Erik ten Hag, with his personality and approach, coupled with promising early performances, bringing hope back to Old Trafford. Amorim has been touched by his warm welcome but repeatedly urged fans to avoid jumping the gun, having followed a draw at Ipswich with home wins against Bodo/Glimt and Everton. Wednesday’s trip to Arsenal is comfortably his biggest challenge yet and victory would see United move within three points of the Premier League title contenders. Put to Amorim it will be hard to manage expectations if they won in the capital, the head coach said: “I would like to say different things, but I have to say it again: the storm will come. “I don’t know if you use that expression, but we are going to have difficult moments and we will be found out in some games. “And I know that because I’m knowing my players and I know football and I follow football, so I understand the difference between the teams. “We are in the point in that we are putting simple things in the team, without training, and you feel it in this game against Everton, they change a little bit the way they were building up. “They are very good team, and we were with a lot of problems because we cannot change it by calling one thing to the captain. “So, we don’t have this training, so let’s focus on each game, on the performance, what we have to improve, trying to win games. And that is the focus. “I know it’s really hard to be a Manchester United coach and say these things in press conferences. We want to win all the time. No matter what. “We are going to try to win, but we know that we are in a different point if you compare to Arsenal. “So, it is what it is and we will try to win it and we go with confidence to win, but we know that we need to play very well to win the next football match.” The trip to Arsenal is the second of nine December matches for United, who are looking to avoid suffering four straight league defeats to the Gunners for the first time. The Red Devils have not won a Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium since 2017, but Amorim knows a thing or two about frustrating Mikel Arteta’s men. Arsenal thrashed Sporting Lisbon 5-1 in the Champions League last week, but in 2022-23 he led the Portuguese side to a Europa League last-16 penalty triumph after a 1-1 draw in London made it 3-3 on aggregate. “Arsenal this year, they play a little bit different,” Amorim said. “They are more fluid. “For example, two years ago when we faced them with Sporting, you knew how to press because you can understand better the structure. “Now it’s more fluid with (Riccardo) Calafiori and (Jurrien) Timber in different sides. One coming inside, the other going outside. Also (Martin) Odegaard changed the team, and you can feel it during this season. “So, you can take something from that game, especially because I know so well the opponent so you can understand the weakness of that team. “But every game is different, so you take something, but you already know that you are going to face a very good team.” This hectic winter schedule means Amorim sidestepped talk of January transfer business ahead of facing Arsenal, although he was more forthcoming on Amad Diallo’s future. The 22-year-old, who put in a man of the match display in Sunday’s 4-0 win against Everton, is out of contract at the end of the season, although the club holds an option to extend by a year. Diallo has repeatedly spoken of his desire to stay at United and it has been reported an agreement is close. Amorim said: “I think he wants to stay, and we want him to stay. So that is clear and we will find a solution.”Arkansas WR Andrew Armstrong declares for NFL draft, skipping bowl
Maybe 15 minutes before the Wild hosted and defeated the Nashville Predators on Saturday, general manager Bill Guerin took a few minutes to talk to the media about his first noteworthy acquisition of the season—the trade with Columbus, which will bring David Jiricek to the State of Hockey in the first few days of December. ADVERTISEMENT Maybe it’s just the pessimistic nature of a fanbase that hasn’t seen a men’s professional team play for a championship in more than three decades, but the grumbling had begun even before the collected media had reached the press box for Saturday’s game. “Seems like a lot to pay for a minor-leaguer,” was one of the comments overheard at the rink on Saturday. Indeed, to get Jiricek – the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft – and a lower-round pick, Guerin surrendered defenseman Daemon Hunt and four draft picks, including Minnesota’s 2025 first-rounder and a second round pick in 2027. He wasted no time in getting an up-close look at the new guy, calling Jiricek up to the NHL level on Sunday, and sending former Gophers forward Travis Boyd back down to Iowa. Guerin and Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell are old friends from their time working together with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But there was no discount offered from Waddell to his old pal in Minnesota. “It took awhile. Donny,” Guerin said with an exasperated grin. “He played with me. He’s one of my old mentors. He made me work for it. He’s the best.” ADVERTISEMENT Still, Guerin would not have pulled the trigger had he not believed in two things: 1) The Wild can turn all of Jiricek’s size (6-foot-4) and potential into another piece of their bright future on the blue line. 2) The price they paid was not as steep as it might look on the surface. To that second point, consider that Hunt was not really part of the Wild’s NHL-level defensive picture, even at a time like this when Jonas Brodin’s long-term viability is a serious question mark. And after getting two points with an overtime win over the Predators on Saturday, the Wild were tied for the most points in the NHL, meaning that at this pace, that 2025 first-round draft pick is going to come in the 25th spot or later. If the Wild go into a tailspin this season, the pick sent to Columbus is lottery protected, meaning the Blue Jackets will not get to pick in the top 10 at the Wild’s expense. ADVERTISEMENT To the first point, Jiricek is a player Guerin and his assistants have had their eye on for some time, even before he was named the top defenseman in the tournament while playing for Czechia in the 2023 World Juniors. “He’s not 30, he’s not a rental. He’s a 21-year-old defenseman that we can invest in. And we did. That’s how I look at it. It’s an investment,” Guerin said. In 2022, the Wild grabbed Liam Ohgren with the 19th overall pick, more than a dozen selections after Jiricek was picked by Columbus and was posing for pictures in a new red-white-and-blue sweater. ADVERTISEMENT “He was somebody that we really liked (during) his draft year. We knew we weren’t going to get him, but we liked him,” Guerin said. “And, you know, when this became available, I did my due diligence and asked our staff what they thought. They were all on board with it. So it’s good.” Perhaps in hopes of getting the fans on board, Guerin also stressed patience. Jiricek has not yet been a star in the NHL, despite his high draft stock. But the Wild are confident that their system of developing players — especially defensemen — is the change the new guy needs. “He’s a young player. He’s got a lot to learn. He’s going to continue to improve, just like all young players,” Guerin said, name-dropping two youthful every-night members of the Wild roster who still have ample room to grow. “Brock Faber’s got to get better. Matt Boldy’s still going to get better. All these guys are going to continue to improve because they’re so young. So just because they’re in the NHL doesn’t mean they’re not going to develop their game and get better. That’s our job as the coaches, management. That’s our job to help him get better.” If he has to spend some future draft capital to put those pieces in place, that is clearly a chance Guerin is willing to take. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .Papua New Guinea to ban social media for youth, require age verification for adultsSouth Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers reject military rule
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Hezbollah fires more than 180 rockets and other projectiles into Israel, wounding at least 7 BEIRUT (AP) — Hezbollah has fired at least 185 rockets and other projectiles into Israel, wounding seven people in the militant group's heaviest barrage in several days. The attacks in northern and central Israel happened Sunday in response to deadly Israeli strikes in central Beirut on Saturday. Meanwhile, negotiators pressed on with cease-fire efforts to halt the all-out war. Lebanon's military says an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army center in the southwest killed one soldier and wounded 18 others. Israel's military has expressed regret and said its operations are directed solely against the militants. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister condemned the latest strike as an assault on the U.S.-led cease-fire efforts. Israel cracks down on Palestinian citizens who speak out against the war in Gaza UMM AL-FAHM, Israel (AP) — In the year since the war in Gaza broke out, Israel's government has been cracking down on dissent among its Palestinian citizens. Authorities have charged Palestinians with “supporting terrorism” because of posts online or for demonstrating against the war. Activists and rights watchdogs say Palestinians have also lost jobs, been suspended from schools and faced police interrogations. Palestinians make up about 20% of Israel's population. Many feel forced to self-censor out of fear of being jailed and further marginalized in society. Others still find ways to dissent, but carefully. Israel's National Security Ministry counters that, “Freedom of speech is not the freedom to incite.” Israel says rabbi who went missing in the UAE was killed TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel says the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates has been found, citing Emirati authorities. The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday said Zvi Kogan was killed, calling it a “heinous antisemitic terror incident.” It said: “The state of Israel will act with all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death." Kogan went missing on Thursday, and there were suspicions he had been kidnapped. His disappearance comes as Iran has been threatening to retaliate against Israel after the two countries traded fire in October. The rising price of paying the national debt is a risk for Trump's promises on growth and inflation WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has big plans for the economy. He also has big debt problem that'll be a hurdle to delivering on those plan. Trump has bold ambitions on tax cuts, tariffs and other programs. But high interest rates and the price of repaying the federal government’s existing debt could limit what he’s able to do. The federal debt stands at roughly $36 trillion, and the spike in inflation after the pandemic has pushed up the government’s borrowing costs such that debt service next year will easily exceed spending on national security. Moscow offers debt forgiveness to new recruits and AP sees wreckage of a new Russian missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law granting debt forgiveness to new army recruits who enlist to fight in Ukraine. The measure, whose final version appeared on a government website Saturday, underscores Russia’s needs for military personnel in the nearly 3-year-old war, even as it fired last week a new intermediate-range ballistic missile. Russia has ramped up military recruitment by offering increasing financial incentives to those willing to fight in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Security Service on Sunday showed The Associated Press wreckage of the new intermediate-range ballistic missile that struck a factory in the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Thursday. Forecasts warn of possible winter storms across US during Thanksgiving week WINDSOR, Calif. (AP) — Forecasters in the U.S. have warned of another round of winter weather that could complicate travel leading up to Thanksgiving. California is bracing for more snow and rain this weekend while still grappling with some flooding and small landslides from a previous storm. The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for California's Sierra Nevada through Tuesday, with heavy snow expected at high elevations. Thousands remained without power in the Seattle area on Saturday after a “bomb cyclone” storm system hit the West Coast earlier in the week, killing two people. Parts of the Northeast and Appalachia also began the weekend with heavy precipitation. After Trump's win, Black women are rethinking their role as America's reliable political organizers ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump's victory has dismayed many politically engaged Black women, and they're reassessing their enthusiasm for politics and organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote, and they had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Kamala Harris. AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan has suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns” as supporters of imprisoned former premier Imran Khan gear up for a protest in the capital. The government and Interior Ministry made the announcement on X, which is banned in Pakistan. Sunday's protest is to demand Khan's release. He has been in prison for more than a year but remains popular. His supporters rely heavily on social media and messaging apps to coordinate with each other. Pakistan has already sealed off Islamabad and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with Khan's power bases. Uruguay's once-dull election has become a dead heat in the presidential runoff MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguayans are heading to the polls to choose their next president. In Sunday's election, the candidates of the conservative governing party and the left-leaning coalition are locked in a close runoff after failing to win an outright majority in last month’s vote. It's a hard-fought race between Álvaro Delgado, the incumbent party’s candidate, and Yamandú Orsi from the Broad Front, a coalition of leftist and center-left parties that governed for 15 years until the 2019 victory of center-right President Luis Lacalle Pou — overseeing the legalization of abortion, same-sex marriage and the sale of marijuana in the small South American nation. Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery’s podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. He teamed up with Young for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and became a full supporter Donald Trump.
The scenarios for the 49ers to make the playoffs are complicated and unrealistic . What I’m asking the 49ers to do in Sunday’s game with the Bears is simple and achievable: Show some pride. This might not be a team that can compete for the championship (or even make the tournament) but that doesn’t mean anyone should roll over. This isn’t the NBA, after all. No, in the NFL, there is still plenty to play for, even if the season’s original goals have gone up in smoke. Sunday is the perfect spot for San Francisco to get right. They’re facing a Chicago team with a rookie quarterback, a head coach in his first game, and the general stench of chaos around them. Don’t get me wrong, the Bears have many admirable qualities, and they can absolutely win Sunday’s game, which should be called the MiseraBowl . But surely the Niners — for all their faults and fumbles — aren’t as bad as these guys. Right? Say what you will about the Niners (I’ve said it all by now), but at least they’re not possibly starting former Seahawk special teamer Travis Homer at running back Sunday—no, they’ll have rookie Issac Guerendo in the backfield. And while Bears fans wondered if interim head coach Thomas Brown (who was promoted to offensive coordinator 17 days prior) would fulfill his new gig from the booth, the Niners haven’t dealt with coaching-from-the-booth issues for over a year. And instead of wondering if their quarterback is “the guy” to stake the franchise, like the Bears with rookie Caleb Williams, the Niners are trying to figure out how much to pay the quarterback on whom they’ll stake the franchise. That’s totally different! But, hey, the Niners will be at home on Sunday. That has to count for something. Ok, the margins between these two teams might be tighter than initially expected, but this Niners’ season still matters. If not the quixotic quest for the playoffs, then as a testament to quality for players and coaches and a momentum starter for the 2025 season. “Just flush the things that have happened. Don’t worry about what has happened in the past,” George Kittle said this week. “Flush it, try to be your best self, and just move forward because we still have a lot of great players on this team that can all make really special plays. And all it takes is a spark to get the boys going, and then after that, we’ll see what can happen.” This is the beauty of the NFL — every game has meaning, even if neither team should have any interest in actually playing the game. And for all the conversation around the Niners tanking for a good draft pick, wouldn’t it be better to pull it together and play — for the first time all season — some solid football final weeks, making the Seahawks and Cardinals — who need a playoff berth more than the Niners — sweat until the very end, and put a dent in the notion that this team’s stock is in a tailspin? This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, after all. Lesser teams have earned more reputation from less than what is being asked of the Niners. Draft picks? That can all be sorted out in the spring. And it’s not like the Niners need to position themselves for a quarterback at the top of the first round. (We saw how that worked out last time.) No, the Niners need both quality and quantity this upcoming offseason. They’ll need to build up both lines and their defense with young and cheap players. But this team isn’t tearing things down to the foundation—this isn’t a full-on rebuild. No, call it a restructuring. It’s one part a penance for trying to run back the same team that went to the Super Bowl in 2023, another, the natural autophagy of a football team. It’s a crucial offseason, no doubt, and wouldn’t it be better if the Niners entered it with a reason to believe they are still a team to beat in the NFC? The Niners built a stars-and-scrubs roster and were decimated by bad injuries to those stars. They played with fire and were burned. After a season as disappointing as this one, the Niners have to prove that their window of contention for that long-sought sixth Lombardi Trophy is still open. That this team isn’t done, even if this season is. Beating the Bears won’t reverse this campaign’s trend or give the Niners a leg up in 2025, but losing to Chicago certainly wouldn’t help the cause. Whatever lie the 49ers need to tell themselves to get up for this game needs to be said. The Niners’ best might not be all that great anymore, but it’s time for that best to show itself. Great players and teams are self-motivated, after all. Consider this the 2025 preseason, folks. What the Niners do on Sunday and in the final four games of the season will give us a great hint as to what we can expect next year.The Kansas City Chiefs picked up a road victory — but in true 2024 form, they didn’t make it easy on themselves. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led a game-winning drive inside the last two minutes, lifting the Chiefs to a 30-27 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.